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The Lobster Pound is the one and only restaraunt I avoid in the Lakes Region. I've been coming to the Lake for more than 20 years. In the beginning, we always managed to bring the whole family to the LP for a very enjoyable dinner. Beginning a few years back, the food quality took a dive for the worst. Initially, we thought it might be a bad day -- but the same poor quality was present the following two times we went there -- and now I avoid it altogether. Too much money for poor food.
So, I thank people like Skisox for their reports. Because I believe him. When the reports start to turn positive, I might take my $100 and give it another spin. But not till then. |
My last meal there was at the bar for lunch, during a driving rainstorm. I had some of the best ribs I've had in a long time. I really love ribs, and I was surprised to see how good they were at a lobster restaurant. I ate the entire rack, then proceeded to head home.
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Another variant...
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I have a sign in my office that reads: "Poor planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine!". :) |
And yet another
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Like good, reasonable service.It's when these expectations aren't met, that very frank and detailed comments are presented. And I think this forum is a good place to point this out. So I ask these simple questions:
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curious
I never really gave this any thought, but an earlier post sparked my curiousity...
But first, let me state that they obviously must be doing things somewhat correctly over there, as the place is always packed and I, too, enjoy it there. However... Why is that LP seems to get 1 or 2 really, really bad reviews each year..really bad. Stuff that makes people stir a bit...and then Mike Ray signs in, and posts that what actually took place IS THE EXACT OPPOSITE of what was written in the negative post...and then the original poster never returns to defend himself/herself...and the thread goes on and on and on for weeks, sometimes. Very strange. And let me be clear...I'm not insinuating the negative posters just let it fade away...I wonder if something else is at work here... File under: "No such thing as bad publicity"???????? |
have to agree with Meredith. I have never been to LP as plenty of good places futher north but as Yogi said" it is so crowded no one goes there any more". If the place is filled all the time they must be doing something right
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Kudos for Mike replying but someone has clearly departed from the truth. It's not unlike a customer to exagerate (sp?) when being clearly upset with service BUT it's also not unlike a wait-person in a VERY busy environment to bypass "policy" in order to collect better tips (in this case, it's very possible that this good waitperson saw full plates but didn't have time to track down a manager and go through all the problems associated with a strong complaints when it was just easier to dump the uneaten food and say "it was all eaten"...especially given the low % chance that the customer would escalate).
Mike is the in tough position of either: a.) going with "the customer is always right" and throwing the proven waitress under the bus OR b.) standing behind the waitress and just soothing the customer without blaming the waitress when the customer will most likely never return anyways. ...can't blame him for choosing "b" to keep a proven waitress but I would warn him to keep an eye on those returning plates because most likely, most wait staff will not abide by quality control rules when things are that busy (been there/done that). The best way to do this is to have the dish washers responsible for reporting "full plates" and warn waitresses that if they are caught dumping ANY food before it gets to the dishwasher, it's immediate termination. Tough place to be in Mike. I wish you and your establishment luck. It's a diffucult business to succeed in and the fact that you are this busy means you are doing something right. |
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It does seem like the LP has a fair bit of controversy surrounding them, but I think the threads are all legitimate. |
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He either ate his grouper, or he didn't. The plate was half full in one post, and licked clean in the next. Just seems strange...that's all. Put me in the corner of saying I enjoy LP, and like their food. However, I find it a bit pricey, and think that they become overwhelmed at peak times, and service drops off a bit more than it should. But, who am I to say??? That parking lot always seems packed to me. |
You know...
I have been watching this thread and it is no wonder that this person has not spoken up again. Any one who brings up a critique is promptly shouted down. Whether his experience was indicative or reasonable does not matter, it was his experience. If I were the owner of the LP, I would send him a private email and offer him a dinner on the house. That would be a gesture of good faith. Shouting down people who have put down their money in good faith and have a reasonable complaint is not particularly productive for the patron or the establishment.
It is nice that the LP is busy, good for them. Personally, I was unhappy with my last meal and as they say, " you are only as good as your last meal." My decision is to take my business elsewhere. You may love the LP, good for you. Luckily there are still lots of choices here in the lake region and my favorite might not be yours, but you are entitled to your opinion. Jetskier:cool: |
The fact that they were there on a busy night and thought they were entitled to be given attentive service is what gets me. What makes them so special compared to the next table? I work in the restaurant business also and a customer who thinks they are more important then the next is irritating to everyone. Actually, those are the people we want in and out and gone.
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I hope you realize that there is nothing about this thread that is going to help the LP in the long run. The sooner this ends the better. If I were Mike Rae, I would not say another word. Serve the 400 meals and do your best. If someone complains, try to remember that old rule that in business, "The Customer is Always Right!" If someone has a bad meal, replace it immediately. If it gets to be too often then I guess you would want to evaluate what you are doing. However, it seems that you do a good business and have a lot of people who like to eat there. I have already said in an earlier post that the fellow who wrote here in the beginning should have a meal on the house and an apology. I believe that is what restaurant managers do when a customer is, or was, not satisfied. One can always refuse service if someone takes advantage of "The Customer is Always Right" rule by doing something like this more than once or twice. I would suggest that the rest of us let this get resolved and go on with our lives. There is really nothing that any of us can do. Surely there must be more interesting threads than this one. |
Some Seem To Love The Lolly Pops...
I will say again, LP is and will always be a favorite for myFamily for as long as they are in business here in the Lakes Region!
OH and yes, we have [ Some very negatory ??????????'s out here ]... Take the Plunge and find out for yourself! However, DO NOT GO THERE IF YOU ARE IN A RUSH, on a Friday Night At Seven OOclock, when you have tickets, or you want to be elsewhere! :rolleye2: Love, Terry _________________________________________________ |
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It can't just be me
Am I the only one that is looking at this from a different angle? I understand the customer maybe should be offered a free meal and etc etc etc...
But, the OP wrote a few things, and then Mike Ray wrote that, "no", these things did not happen. This is what seems unique about LP threads, in my opinion. Often, someone will write of a negative experience, but Mike will write back that none of it actually happened. I just don't see any of that in the other restaurant threads. How can that be??? Were the people delusional when they dined there? I believe all this controversy is enjoyed, and indeed, good for business. |
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Sounds like an interesting controversy. What I've taken out of this is that the customer went to LP with the intention of receiving attentive service and a good meal. I'm sure he asked if they would be able to get in, get dinner, and get on and still make it to the concert. Whoever he asked for this "special service" must have told him they could accommodate him, so he stayed and that's when he didn't receive what was requested.
It's not a matter of him thinking he's better than every other customer and should receive special attention, as other posters have mentioned. After this entire thread, I'm on board with SA Meredith. Something seems fishy. As a business owner, I would not publicly state that a customer was wrong. Just doesn't represent good business practice and customer service to me. I don't care how reputable the establishment is. Sounds very defensive. The point is, providing the facts are correct from the original poster, if you are busy enough to serve 400 tables a night, then you can afford to sacrifice a meal or two. I can almost guarantee not every meal will be perfect. In this case it was simply poor service to the customer. Sounds like he went in there with intentions that he would be able to get dinner and was assured he would make it in time to the concert. I'll assume he would have left and gone some place else (as I would have in his situation) if they told them they couldn't accommodate his request. He didn't receive attentive service and didn't get a good meal. I think it's reasonable he didn't bring up his dilemma at the time as he was in a rush. Should he have posted his harsh story here...maybe? Could he have tried to contact them after the fact when he had time? Yes. However, I believe the LP should know better than to publicly put down a customer. Clearly the customer was real, or Mike intentionally created this customer as both sides have conflicting stories. Needless to say, I don't think I'll be in to try out the Lobster Pound after this until something is cleared up. |
Absolutely Shreddy. Internet controversies always dictate my dining habits :laugh:
Seriously, There are a couple of places I could have given a quick review about, ho-hum, not nasty, that would have offended a large audience. Not too much with the LP. Whatever, it's a gathering place and a restaurant. Whereas, this is an internet forum, where I can't taste anything :laugh: |
Stay home
If you don't like the service. Stay Home!
I use to go out almost nightly. After losing my job and unemployment ran out, I took a retail position that pays less than my unemployment! Having said that, it makes sense to eat home. Sorry, hospitality industry, but if consumers don't have the dough, so goes the business. I actually enjoy eating at home. Fresh garden veggies and fruits. Thousands of new recipes to try on the internet. It is becoming a hobby. When I have guests, I enjoy serving food. I do go out on ocassion. I use coupons.com and or restuarants.com to determine where I will go. I use T-Bones 55+ card whenever I go there. T-Bones 55+ menu makes sense as most of us don't care for large portions. For a real treat Thursday's 'Burger and Beer' night at the NASWA or Avery's can't be beat for value for the beef and beer crowd. |
I very much doubt this is a setup by Mike Ray. He can't be happy that everytime he opens the forum there is a new post in a thread called "Lobster Pound Disaster". Yes, I know there is no such thing as bad publicity but too much bad publicity is not good.
I bet now he is think he should have said, "I'm sorry you didn't enjoy your visit, come back in and we will make it right" It is never a good idea to argue publicly with a customer. If a customer made a stink in the restaurant you would not sit there and argue with them, you would quietly handle it. If the customer got out of hand you ask them to leave then walk them out. Penny doesn't every customer deserve attentive service? I expect it when I go out, even when I go to Burger King. Sometimes when we go to a restaurant, I want to take my time, have few drinks, and some appetizers, talk with my friends. Sometimes I just want to get a meal and get out. A good server will sense which, but it never hurts to tell them directly. |
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Oh Terry, Do you remember when they had the small stones for the floor I think and picnic benches? My family used to love the LP. We would go and get the combination plate that came with a lobster AND ribs with corn on the cob and baked beans and maybe small side of cole slaw. My mouth is watering even as I type. |
Attention: Now hear ziss: Za beatings vill continue until za Morale Improves. :D :D NB
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[QUOTE=Lucky1;136123]
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That's the LP I remember. Good food. Good times. Good service. |
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Like SA Meredith I dropped by the Lobster Pound this summer around 4pm, went to the bar to eat. There were 4 people present, and very few in the dining room.
I waited about an hour before inquiring if my dinner was going to be served. The waitress/bartender checked, then said it would be 15 more minutes! 15 minutes later, I had to ask again. My food was brought out, tepid. My experience is in line with others who had to wait far too long to be served, and who had little attention from the wait-staff. |
I don't get it. The original poster does this twice about the same place and just disappears when others ask follow up questions.
Check his history and then decide. :rolleye2: Here is an interesting post from 9-21-08 for those who don't want to look back. Quote:
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I've added emphasis (bold/red font) to the initial post of this thread... "endured", "pain and suffering"... Oh, please. No one had tied you to your chair, right? If it was that bad, I'd have called over a manager or something.... But this poster (1) chose to go to a sit-down, full-service restaurant when he/she had a time contraint during the busiest time of the season, (if the poster had noticed that the drinks were slow, why the heck didn't you bug out then and head to Sawyers or something?) (2) placed an unreal expectation on the server (I feel more sorry for her than I do the poster, quite honestly); (3) accepted/ate/tried whatever - the food that was served but found it "inferrior"; and (4) paid a bill of $133 without a word. So, then you came here to get payback? C'mon. Gimme a break. Whether the initial poster is tag-teaming us here or not, I don't care, really... I've read a lot of reviews here on winni.com in my time here but this one pretty much wins the... drum roll please Drama Llama award... http://jasoncosper.com/wp-content/up...rama_llama.jpg |
Competitor maybe?
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You know now that I think about this I do wonder why Mike kept saying that they serve 400 meals per evening and can seat 350 or something like that. The one time that we were there earlier this summer, was a late Sunday afternoon. There were almost no people there. In fact the room we asked to sit in was empty but we were able to be seated there. During the meal I think maybe two or three tables filled.
As I said, the double lobster meal was good but expensive for what we got. I particularly thought that lobsters and one salad was not enough. I asked why there was no side such as a potato or corn or something and was told that there were rolls. All of this said, this thread is not a good thing for the Lobster Pound. I hope all of this works out and that the LP finds a way to do well. It is rough out there in this economy. |
Farewell
The Weirs Beach Lobster Pound will no longer be participating in this forum.
If you wish to contact us, please do so by phone (603)366-2255, our website (wb-lp.com) or the way we would prefer most, come in and say hello. Please keep supporting local businesses, and thank you to those who have supported us. |
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"If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen." --- Harry S. Truman |
I can't say I blame you, Mike. Best of luck and we will see you a few more times this summer.
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I remember the time when it was a good thing to walk in to a restaurant(ei: Waldo Peppers) and mention you were a Forum member.:confused:
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OK, it took me a little while to become an active member on the forum, but now that I can post and not just read, I want to finally say what happened to us that same night in question. We came with out of town friends to the LP about 8:30 and also sat up on the deck. When we tried to order, we were immediately shot down on just about everything that we tried to have. No more steamers, no chowder, and no more specials of the night, etc. Waitress couldn't answer any of our questions such as what the vegetable was without going to ask someone. We had to redo our whole order since we all had wanted most of those items not available. Service went drastically down hill from there. Drinks were very slow to come to the table and then a while after, our friends received their meals. Ours came a bit later and mine was cold, but my husbands scrod was actually raw. Not cooked at all. Waitress apologized and took meals back. FORTY minutes later, still no return. Waitress said that manager was coming and would bring meals himself. I was so upset, as this also happened to be our anniversary and I had wanted a nice night out, that I went to the car, and did not return. The food finally came out 45 min late via the manager and he was surprised that we didn't want to eat it now. He offered my husband a bottle of wine to apologize. I am sorry, but almost an hour after I had to watch my friends eat their meals, we were not going to sit and have them watch us eat. My husband demanded that they take back our plates, and that the whole bill be nullified. We did pay for the drinks that we had, but the night was ruined. It was a horrible experience, and my husband and I ended up having to stop at Wendy's on the way home to eat.
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All the best Mike. Keep up the good work.
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